Blessed Blogs

Photo Albums

September 28, 2015

Ben Kelly: Interior life

Ben Kelly

Every designer knows that if you create something iconic for the music world, especially if you add into the mix Manchester and Factory Records, you’re guaranteed to be well represented on the Wikipedia pages. But if you go a little further and include in that company The Haçienda, three-quarters of a million references pop up. Such is the power of the music world.

The Haçienda designed in 1982.

Peter Hook and Stephen Morris of New Order at The Haçienda club in Manchester in 1985.

Ben Kelly was the man who created that Manchester landmark, which surfaced in the late eighties and changed the club scene forever. Since those heady days of acid house and rave music, Ben Kelly has clocked up an impressive body of work, always coming from left field. Here are some examples.

The Howie shop in Covent Garden 1970's.

Above The Sex Pistols’ rehearsal space on Denmark Street 1970's, for which Ben simply lined the walls with unpainted MDF. Just a few months later, Johnny Rotten (now John Lydon) had graffitied them. Apparently, they have since been listed by the V&A.

Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark album cover designed by Ben Kelly and Peter Saville 1980 base on Kelly's fascia at the Howie shop.

The Design Council’s offices in Bow Street, London 1997.

Children's basement area at the Science Museum, 1995.

Gym Box at Old Street, London, 2014.

JP Apartment 1999.

Garman Ryan Collection 2001.

The Whitworth Museum 2015.

I recorded an interview with Ben earlier this month to find out more about the man who worked for Vivienne Westwood, Malcolm McLaren and the Sex Pistols and was on the chaotic 1977 Jubilee boat trip, which resulted in Ben spending a night in prison for intervening in the arrest of McLaren.

Comments

Ben Kelly: Interior life

Ben Kelly

Every designer knows that if you create something iconic for the music world, especially if you add into the mix Manchester and Factory Records, you’re guaranteed to be well represented on the Wikipedia pages. But if you go a little further and include in that company The Haçienda, three-quarters of a million references pop up. Such is the power of the music world.

The Haçienda designed in 1982.

Peter Hook and Stephen Morris of New Order at The Haçienda club in Manchester in 1985.

Ben Kelly was the man who created that Manchester landmark, which surfaced in the late eighties and changed the club scene forever. Since those heady days of acid house and rave music, Ben Kelly has clocked up an impressive body of work, always coming from left field. Here are some examples.

The Howie shop in Covent Garden 1970's.

Above The Sex Pistols’ rehearsal space on Denmark Street 1970's, for which Ben simply lined the walls with unpainted MDF. Just a few months later, Johnny Rotten (now John Lydon) had graffitied them. Apparently, they have since been listed by the V&A.

Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark album cover designed by Ben Kelly and Peter Saville 1980 base on Kelly's fascia at the Howie shop.

The Design Council’s offices in Bow Street, London 1997.

Children's basement area at the Science Museum, 1995.

Gym Box at Old Street, London, 2014.

JP Apartment 1999.

Garman Ryan Collection 2001.

The Whitworth Museum 2015.

I recorded an interview with Ben earlier this month to find out more about the man who worked for Vivienne Westwood, Malcolm McLaren and the Sex Pistols and was on the chaotic 1977 Jubilee boat trip, which resulted in Ben spending a night in prison for intervening in the arrest of McLaren.